Inside The Woodlands’ Own Bari Ristorante and Why It’s Not Just a River Oaks Copy — This New Waterway Restaurant Is a World Of Its Own

New Menu Items Just For The Woodlands, Happy Hour Perks and Brunch Beckon

By Laura Landsbaum // Oct 20, 2026

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Bari has an extensive wine list, including a specially produced private wine. (Photo courtesy of Quit Nguyen)

Carpaccio di Manzo is on Bari's menu in The Woodlands. (Photo courtesy of Chris Nguyen)

Bari's main entrance is at 24 Waterway Place. Parking is available in the garage or on the street, and valet is available as well. (Photo courtesy of Bari)

The truffle pasta is prepared tableside at Bari Ristorante. (Photo courtesy of Chris Nguyen)

Bari's Waterway location underwent extensive renovations, opening up the former Tris space. (Photo courtesy of Bari)

Chef Renato De Pirro, Head Chef of Bari Hospitality, at the Bari Woodlands opening. (Photo couresty of Bari)

The Woodlands Bari location has the same car that the River Oaks location features at the entrance. (Photo courtesy of Bari)

The preview party for Bari at The Waterway had more than 250 guests throughout the evening. (Photo courtesy of Bari)

Bari's Pedro Teyuca, Manolo Mugnos, Tommy Nally and Black Forest Ventures' Janine Jones at the opening for Bari. (Photo courtesy of Bari)

Bari Ristorante is making itself home at its prime spot at 24 Waterway in The Woodlands, the high-profile space that used to be the home of the lauded Tris restaurant. The 9,000-square-foot space now has a more open feel after extensive renovations, with a great bar part of the Bari Ristorante fun.

“Guests from The Woodlands have supported Bari from the beginning, often traveling to our River Oaks District location and asking us to bring the experience closer to home,” Bari co-owner and operator Pedro Teyuca says. “We listened. This new restaurant delivers the quality, energy and hospitality they know while giving Chef Marcelo Mintz and our culinary team room to create something distinctly suited to The Woodlands.”

Italian master chef Renato de Pirro and executive chef Mintz are leading the opening, with Mintz remaining to oversee daily culinary operations. Originally from Brazil, Mintz brings experience across a range of cuisines, developed while working alongside leading chefs in Italy, Las Vegas and New York.

Just like it does in its River Oaks District original, The Woodlands’ own Bari Ristorante blends Italian food traditions with a contemporary approach, featuring fresh, flavorful dishes made from scratch. The menu includes European cheeses, dry-cured meats, fish sourced from Europe and house-made pastas prepared with imported Italian flour.

Diners will find many favorites from Bari’s original River Oaks District restaurant, including fritto misto, pappardelle bolognese, scaloppine and Bari’s popular pizzas. Signature tableside options include branzino alla griglia, truffle pasta and bananas foster are on the menu.

Bari Woodlands carpaccio — Carpaccio di Manzo is on Bari’s menu in The Woodlands. (Photo courtesy of Chris Nguyen)

New appetizers created for The Woodlands include tagliere di carne with prosciutto di parma, mortadella, finocchiona, bresaola and accompaniments; tagliere di formaggi featuring Italian cheeses, honeycomb, berries and Marcona almonds; crab fingers “scampi” in a spicy lemon-butter sauce; culaccia e melone, pairing 24-month culaccia di parma with melon and burrata; polpo arrosto with roasted potato cream and roasted-garlic sauce; breaded fried burrata served with pesto, focaccia and marinara; and supplì di riso, breaded risotto balls with bolognese and mozzarella.

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There are new entrees as well. These include pollo piccata with lemon-caper sauce, sautéed spinach and roasted potatoes; scaloppine sorrentina topped with cherry-tomato sauce and mozzarella di bufala; and a grilled chicken sandwich with pesto, tomato and shallot mayonnaise. The menu also introduces tableside chateaubriand and fiorentina, along with gnocchi di patate with wild mushrooms and house-made sausage; rigatoni cacio e pepe; risotto al pesto with prawns, tomato confit and olive dust; and lasagna casareccia layered with bolognese and mozzarella.

The Bari Woodlands Look

This Waterway restaurant’s design carries the colors and visual language of Bari’s River Oaks District restaurant, incorporating lava-rock wallcovering, wallpapers from Spain and Lladro chandeliers. The 250-seat space includes more than 3,000 square feet dedicated to the front of the house, two private dining rooms and a bar lounge.

Two large back-of-house kitchens support catering and to-go orders, while a commissary kitchen creates house-made pastas, gelatos, sauces and breads. For private events, each dining room accommodates up to 40 people and the rooms can be combined. The lounge can fit up to 30 people.

Bari offers weekday happy hour with $10 burgers, $10 individual pizzas, meatballs and more.

Bari with Car Woodlands Waterway — The Woodlands Bari location has the same car that the River Oaks location features at the entrance. (Photo courtesy of Bari)

Chef Renato De Pirro and co-owners Pedro Teyuca and Tommy Nally were on hand to welcome everyone for the opening night. The Post Oak Collection of The Woodlands, the Woodlands outpost of Post Oak Motors, added to the night by displaying two supercars at the restaurant.

One of the most anticipated restaurants in recent Woodlands memory is already making its mark.

Bari Ristorante The Woodlands is open Mondays through Thursdays from 11 am to 10 pm, Fridays and Saturdays from 11 am to 11 pm, and Sundays from 11 am to 9 pm. Weekend brunch is availble Saturdays and Sundays from 11 am to 3 pm.